Cables and twisted wires are used in orthopedic surgery to assist in the reattachment of major muscle groups, in the reconstruction of fractures such as those of the patella, and to safely wire fractures such as those of the femur when these fractures have occurred around implants. One of the difficult steps involved in the use of such cables and wires is that of passing them, in a safe manner, around the bone without entrapping vital soft tissue structures such as arteries and nerves.
In general, wires are usually pulled through soft tissue using a curved clamp. Typically, a cable passer device in the form of a curved tube is used to pass cables around the bone. Such a cable passer device is indicated at 10 in FIG. 1. As illustrated, the device 10 includes a curved tubular portion 10a which extends through about 270.degree. of a circle, a cable entry portion 10b into which the cable is inserted for travel through the tubular portion 10a and a gripping handle 10c. A bone B is shown as being partially encircled by tubular portion 10a. Because the tubular portion 10 must be curved so as to extend over about 270.degree. of arc, as shown, in order to permit the free end of the cable to be grabbed on the other side of the bone B from that at which the cable is inserted, a relatively large incision is required. Further, in order for the tubular portion 10a to pass all the way around the bone B, the circumference of tubular portion 10a must be much larger than the circumference of the bone. This large size can result in the unwanted capture or inclusion of vital structures under the passer 10.